Chair cushion and method of making same

ABSTRACT

A rigid shell is formed including a back rest and a seat portion. A resilient cushion portion is formed and adhesively bonded to the shell. A cover is placed on an upholstery form and the shell and cushion are attached to a member of a press. Adhesive bonding means is applied to the cushion portion and the cover and the cushion portion and shell are then pressed into contact with the cover. The edge portions of the cover are then adhesively bonded to the shell and the completed chair cushion is removed from the press member.

United States Patent [191 Koepke [541 CHAIR CUSHION AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Earl H. Koepke, Chagrin Falls, Ohio The General Fireproofing Company, Youngstown, Ohio Filed: May 4, 1971 Appl. No.: 140,040

Inventor:

Assignee:

U.S. Cl ..297/456, 297/458, 297/D1G. 1 Int. Cl ..A47c 7/02, A47c 3/00 Field of Search ..297/452, 454, 457-469;

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1967 Callum ..297/457 6/1961 Sonnleitner ..297/D1G l 9/1961 Clark ..297/461 1 Jan. 30, 1973 3,070,402 12/1962 Stanton ..297/D1G. 1 3,270,394 9/1966 Marsh et al.... I ..297/D1G. 1 3,314,721 4/1967 Smith ..297/D1G. 2 3,408,106 10/1968 Bolling et a1. ..297/458 Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg AttorneyEmory L. Groff and Emory L. Groff, Jr.

ABSTRACT A rigid shell is formed including a back rest and a seat portion. A resilient cushion portion is formed and adhesively bonded to the shell. A cover is placed on an upholstery form and the shell and cushion are attached to a member of a press. Adhesive bonding means is applied to the cushion portion and the cover and the cushion portion and shell are then pressed into contact with the cover. The edge portions of the cover are then adhesively bonded to the shell and the completed chair cushion is removed from the press member.

1 Claim, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 30 I975 SHEET 10? 5 INVENTOR EARL H. KOEPK E ATTORNEY PAIENTEnmao 197s 3.713.697

sum 2 0F 5 INVENTOR EARL H. KOEPKE BY M ' ATTORNEY PATENTEUJAN30 I975 3.713.697

SHEET '3 or 5 INVENTOR EARL H. KOEPKE ATTORNEY PAIENTEDJAHSO ms 3.713.697 saw u as s INVENTOR EARL H. KOEPKE ATTORNEY PATENTEDJAHSO 1975 3,713,697

SHEET 5 or 5 INVENTOR EARL H. KOEPKE CHAIR CUSHION AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a chair cushion as employed, for example, in an upholstered office chair. It is a common practice to separately manufacture a chair cushion which is then attached to an outer shell adapted to be secured to a supporting leg structure. Such chair cushions are of relatively complex construction and are difficult and expensive to make.

A further disadvantage of known cushions of this type is the fact that the cover of the cushion must be provided with sewn darts to take up slack, particularly adjacent to the concave seat area of the cushion in order to provide a cover which will remain relatively taut in the finished construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a rigid shell is formed including a back rest and seat portion and a resilient cushion portion is formed including a concave seat pocket area. The cushion portion is then adhesively bonded to the inner surface of the shell to form a shell and cushion unit.

A cover is turned inside out and stretched over an upholstery form with the edge portions of the cover temporarily secured to the upholstery form. The shell and attached cushion unit are then mounted on a pressure member and adhesive bonding means is applied to the concave seat pocket area of the cushion portion and the corresponding part of the cover. The shell and cushion unit is then pressed against the cover to adhesively bond the cover to the cushion means at said concave seat pocket area.

The temporary securing means is then removed from the edge portions of the cover and the edge portions are turned up and adhesively bonded to the shell whereupon the pressure of the shell and cushion unit is released and the unit is removed from the press member.

The method of making the chair cushion according to the present invention is simple and inexpensive and can be carried out by relatively inexperienced personnel. The finished chair cushion is of simple construction and the cover on the seat surface will be stretched and adhesively bonded into the concave seat pocket without the necessity of providing sewn darts to take up slack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a finished chair cushion according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective exploded view illustrating a step in the method of making the chair cushion; I FIG. 3 is an elevation of the resilient cushion portion of the chair;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the cushion portion shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the cushion portion shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the adhesively bonded shell and cushion portion;

FIG. 7 is a top perspective exploded view illustrating the manner in which a cover is mounted on an upholestry form;

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view illustrating the cover mounted on the upholstery form and the shell and cushion unit mounted on a press member;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along A DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the finished chair cushion is indicated generally by reference character 20 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 9. As seen in FIG. 2, a rigid shell 22 is formed of a suitable material such as Fiberglas and includes a back rest 24 and seat portion 26 disposed in angular relationship with respect to one another. Four spaced recesses 30 are provided in the seat portion and support means is provided at the bottom of these recesses for supporting four attaching studs 32 which extend downwardly below the under surface of the seat portion. These attaching studs provide means for attaching the finished chair cushion to a conventional rigid outer shell in a well known manner. The attaching studs additionally enable the shell to be attached to a press member during manufacture of the chair cushion as hereinafter described.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, a fabricated resilient cushion portion is indicated generally by reference numeral 40. This cushion portion includes a main central body part 42 including a plurality of layers of resilient material 44 and 46. The cushion portion includes a pair of similar side members 50 which are tapered on the back side thereof as indicated by reference character 52 in FIG. 4. .The cushion portion also includes a top member 54.

The various members or pieces of the cushion portion are formed of a suitable resilient material such as polyurethane or the like, the members of the cushion portion being suitably secured to one another as by adhesively bonding the members along their abutting faces and edges.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the fabricated cushion portion is illustrated as being deformed so as to conform to the configuration of the shell and it will be noted that the cushion portion defines a concave seat pocket area indicated generally by reference numeral 56. The fabricated resilient cushion portion 40 and the rigid shell 22 are then sprayed with contact cement along the rear surface of the cushion portion and the inner surface of the shell as indicated by arrows S. The cushion portion is then pressed against the shell portion to adhesively bond the cushion portion to the inner surface of the shell so as to provide the completed shell and cushion unit as seen in FIG. 6.

Referring now to FIG. 7, an upholstery cover 60 is formed of a suitable material such as fabric or vinyl plastic and includes boxing 62 sewn along the line 64 around the sides and top edges of the cover. The cover is turned inside out as seen in FIG. 7 and is then lowered downwardly onto an upholstery form 70 supported on a base 72.

Referring now to FlG. 8, cover 60 is stretched over the upholstery form and the edge portions thereof are then temporarily secured to the upholstery form by staples 76 or other suitable securing means such as tacks or the like.

A pneumatic press is provided including a cylinder 80 and a piston rod 82. The lower end of the piston rod is secured to a fitting 84 including a plate 86. This plate 86 has a plurality of holes formed therethrough receiving the attaching studs 32 previously described. The wing nuts 88 are threaded on attaching studs 32 for mounting the shell and cushion unit on the press.

Contact cement is then sprayed only on the concave seat pocket area of the cushion portion and the corresponding part of the cover as indicated by arrows S. The area to which contact cement is applied on the cover is indicated by the stippled area shown in FIG. 8. Cement should not be sprayed beyond the necessary area.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the press is actuated so as to extend the piston rod to force the cushion portion against the cover to thereby adhesively bond the cover to the cushion portion only at the concave seat pocket area thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 11, the staples are then removed from the boxing edge portions of the cover and the boxing is turned up and adhesively bonded by cement or the like to the back side of the shell as seen in FIG. 11.

The pressure is then released and the press actuated so as to lift the shell and cushion unit upwardly whereupon the unit can be removed from the press and the finished chair cushion is adapted to then be operatively and includes sewn boxing around the sides and top of the finished cushion. The cover on the seat surface will be stretched and adhesively bonded into the concave pocket 90, as seen in FIG. 1, without the use of sewn darts to take up slack.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A chair cushion for attachment to a press member during manufacture thereof and attachment to an outer shell member in its completed form, said cushion comprising a rigid inner shell of substantially the same shape as-said outer shell member and including an integral back rest and angularly disposed seat portion, a resilient cushion member co-extensive with and adhesively bonded to said shell, said resilient cushion member defining a concave seat pocket, a cover stretched over said cushion member and including peripheral boxing means adhesively bonded to said inner shell, adhesive means bonding said cover overlying said cushion means only in the area ofsaid concave seat pocket, means for attaching said cushion to said press member and said outer shell, said attaching means comprising a plurality of studs rigidly affixed to the seat portion of said inner shell and extending outwardly thereof, and said resilient cushion member includes a main central body part having side portions and a top portion adhesively secured thereto and providing a substantially co-extensive upper surface. 

1. A chair cushion for attachment to a press member during manufacture thereof and attachment to an outer shell member in its completed form, said cushion comprising a rigid inner shell of substantially the same shape as said outer shell member and including an integral back rest and angularly disposed seat portion, a resilient cushion member co-extensive with and adhesively bonded to said shell, said resilient cushion member defining a concave seat pocket, a cover stretched over said cushion member and including peripheral boxing means adhesively bonded to said inner shell, adhesive means bonding said cover overlying said cushion means only in the area of said concave seat pocket, means for attaching said cushion to said press member and said outer shell, said attaching means comprising a plurality of studs rigidly affixed to the seat portion of said inner shell and extending outwardly thereof, and said resilient cushion member includes a main central body part having side portions and a top portion adhesively secured thereto and providing a substantially co-extensive upper surface. 